Your Results with Hyposalinity

[jjj1100]

Hello,

I was doing alot of research on Hyposalinity, and the disease forum on reefcentral seem to think it works very well. Howevery on Wet Web Meida, they think copper is a much better treatment and don't think highly of hypo as a cure.

I was under the impression that hypo was a safer, and more effect way, and decided to try that method as I came down with an outbreak of ich.

I am just curious as to everyones results with hypo as a cure for ich. Right now I am at 1.10, and plan to keep it there for 6 weeks.

Thanks

[izzy_real]

Hypo-salinity is a good option IF you have a fish only system, OR if you actually have the infected specimens quarantined in another tank.

However, if you have a good heater and an accurate thermometer, hyper-temperature (84F) will speed ich through it's life cycle quicker, and with less side effects than copper. Keep a close eye on the temp and the animals you're treating. As I'm sure you know, higher water temps include lower dissolved oxygen levels. Tell-Tell signs include heavy breathing, gasping at the top of the water as if they're trying to breath air, etc.

If the affected animals are in a small enough tank to do daily 25% water changes, the combination of hyper temp and said changes will help expedite the ich and it's eggs from the tank. Keep them quarantined for at least two weeks before you reintroduce them to the main system, even if they show no signs of the illness.

Good luck JJ, and as I'm sure you've found since begining this hobby, there are 1,000 methods to treating all things marine.

I hope I've helped you in at least some way!

Izzy

[jjj1100]

Thanks for the quick reply.
Yeah I pulled all the inverts from the system, and dropped the salinity in the display. I am hoping I don't have to catch the fish, and set up another tank to do the copper treatment as i won't do that in the display.

Keeping my fingers crossed for the hypo

[ahullsb]

I treated 5 fish for ich using hypo last year. I have never seen a trace of it since. I've read that certain fish do not tolerate copper very well. Although either should work. Even though it isn't much of a difference, I would try to keep the salinity at 1.009

[izzy_real]

You could hit it from both ends. Hypo salinity, and hyper temp.

If you wish.

How large is your tank?

[izzy_real]

1.009 is rather low. that's lower than brackish. I wouldn't go less than 1.017.

izzy

[jjj1100]

its a 300 gallon display, 40 gallon sump, and 120 gallon refugium. I was fortnate that I could let the fuge run stand alone (its in a different room), and moved all the inverts there for 6 weeks so that is running fine for the time being.

ahull, even though I am using a refractometer, I don't know that I feel safe going to .009...just in case of error somehow

[ACBlinky]

Originally posted by izzy_real
1.009 is rather low. that's lower than brackish. I wouldn't go less than 1.017.

izzy

Standard SG for hyposalinity treatment is 1.009.

IME hypo works VERY well, providing fish are kept at 1.009 for six weeks, not including the days it takes to bring down and raise the SG at the start and end of treatment. It's also a good idea to keep the fish in QT for a week after you've raised the SG back up to normal -- this gives you a chance to observe their health and ensure that the parasite is completely gone.

[izzy_real]

1.009 is a new one on me. I've not had any experience keeping it that low. I'll take your word on it.

izzy

[Aquarist007]

Originally posted by izzy_real
1.009 is a new one on me. I've not had any experience keeping it that low. I'll take your word on it.

izzy

that is the quoted salinity rate for hyosalination 1.009.

http://www.petsforum.com/personal/tr...osalinity.html

[izzy_real]

Thanks for the link capn. I was actually about to look that up, just to double check.

izzy

[Aquarist007]

there are three methods quoted for getting rid of ich. All use a quarantine tank

hyposalination

use of copper based medications

series of complete water changes that correspond to the life cyle of ich

[rjsilvers]

I had a Coral Beauty with a pretty bad case of ich as soon as I brought her home and QTed her...

Dropped the SG to 1.009 and I haven't seen any signs of ich in 3 weeks and she's doing fine and eating great.

[Aquarist007]

Originally posted by rjsilvers
I had a Coral Beauty with a pretty bad case of ich as soon as I brought her home and QTed her...

Dropped the SG to 1.009 and I haven't seen any signs of ich in 3 weeks and she's doing fine and eating great.

great but keep her in there for the full six weeks

[tmz]

I do not think elevating the temperature to 84 plus is a good idea. This may or may not quicken the life cycle of marine ich but it will definately increase the metabolism of the fish at a time when the fih needs to conserve energy to fight off the infestation and secondary infections.
I prefer copper over hyposalinity and have had more sucess with it. . Hyposalinity takes a relatively long time and in my experience is not always sucessful. I have tried it several timesand the ich returned. I don't think the negative effects of long term 8 weeks or more to hyposalinity are fully understood. The kidneys will work less for one thing . Anyway ,two months in an environment the fish has not evolved too just seems less desireable than copper or the tank transfer method for copper safe fish..

[Jerry W]

Raising the temperature merely accelerates the life cycle of c. irritans. It will not kill it off. I personally would not raise the temp past 82. Hypo is safe and in most cases reliable. You must have an accurate measuring device (refractometer or lab grade glass hydrometer calibrated to reef temps.) You also need to carefully monitor pH as it will drop in lower salinities. There have also been some strains of crypt that are resistant to the procedure. A sg of 1.009 or salinity of 14 ppt is suggested. If this strays north, it can render the treatment ineffective. It's not a complicated procedure but it must be done with patience and diligence to parameters.

[tmz]

If it strays south it will kill the fish which has an internal salinity of about 1.008.( cutting it close at 1.009, shich I realize if the mainstream recommended level)) While the fish can osmoregulate by drinking to remain hydrated in waters with sg higher than it's internal salinity. I don't think it has a way of preventing overhydration from prolonged exposure to sg lower than it's internal level.

[Aquarist007]

Originally posted by tmz
If it strays south it will kill the fish which has an internal salinity of about 1.008.( cutting it close at 1.009, shich I realize if the mainstream recommended level)) While the fish can osmoregulate by drinking to remain hydrated in waters with sg higher than it's internal salinity. I don't think it has a way of preventing overhydration from prolonged exposure to sg lower than it's internal level.

that is why the suggestion of not doing this without a refractometer is a good one

[NanoGurl]

I have used hypo at 1.009 and it worked very well. I kept the temps a bit warm and dropped the salinity over a few days.. kept it there for 8 weeks and then much slower brought the salinity back up and no problems at all. This was used on a Powder Brown Tang with success.

[tmz]

Yes, Ive heard of many sucesses , my experience, however, on two occassions was that the ich returned as soon as the salinity went back over the 1.021 after the full 6weeks at 1.009 and a week coming up.